Local News

GP Police Arrested Man for Several Crimes Committed at or near Riverside Park
Grants Pass Police jailed a man for several crimes committed at or near Riverside Park last weekend. The Police Department reports 46-year-old David Israel McDonald was arrested at the city park on Sunday at 12:52 p.m. in connection with a series of incidents that started earlier in the day. Police said McDonald arrived at Riverside Park in his pickup. They said he intentionally drove on the grass causing over $1,000 in property damage before parking near the lower gazebo. Another man was washing a table at the gazebo when the suspect took a bucket and sponge from him and a fight ensued. McDonald struck the other man with a solid metal statue causing physical injury. The victim pepper-sprayed the suspect and officers detained him at the gazebo. During the investigation, a basketball hoop valued at $500 that had been reported stolen from a residence on Marion Lane was found in the back of his pickup. David McDonald was lodged at the Josephine County Jail on felony charges of 1st-Degree Robbery, 2nd-Degree Assault and 1st-Degree Criminal Mischief along with misdemeanor charges of 2nd-Degree Theft and 3rd-Degree Theft. He was also trespassed from Riverside Park for 30 days.
Posted on 9/12/23 6:17AM by Sam Marsh
 

GP Police Incarcerated Foreign National for Stealing Merchandise from Walmart
Grants Pass Police jailed a foreign national for trying to steal hundreds of dollars' worth of merchandise from Walmart last weekend. The Police Department reports officers responded to a shoplifting complaint involving 37-year-old Vladimir Bulajic at the big box retailer on NE Terry Lane around 11:30 a.m. Sunday. Police said Bulajic was observed on video surveillance pushing a shopping cart filled with approximately $1,600 worth of items past all points of sale. He was detained by loss prevention, but did not speak any English. Officers said he spoke no known language they could find a translation app for. According to the report, Bulajic was aided indirectly by two other men but only he attempted the theft. All the subjects had identification cards from Montenegro and New Jersey. They were detained, trespassed from the store and released. Vladimir Bulajic was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony 1st-Degree Theft and all the merchandise was returned to Walmart.
Posted on 9/12/23 6:16AM by Sam Marsh
 

GP Police Snared Man for Damaging Vehicle near Baker Park before He Swam
Grants Pass Police arrested a man for damaging a vehicle near Baker Park last weekend before taking a plunge in the Rogue River. According to the Police Department, officers responded to a vandalism report at the intersection of the Grants Pass Parkway and East Park Street on Sunday at about 11:40 a.m.. Police said a woman called 9-1-1 to report a male subject later identified as 57-year-old Lance Joseph Cardinal threw an item at her boyfriend's vehicle while they were waiting for Cardinal to cross the Parkway when traffic had a green light. They followed the suspect into Baker Park and onto the Texas property where he began to swim in the river. There was minor damage to the victim's Mazda sedan. Upon arrival, officers contacted Cardinal near the edge of the river, he got out and was placed into custody. He was booked into the Josephine County Jail for 2nd-Degree Criminal Mischief.
Posted on 9/12/23 6:14AM by Sam Marsh
 

Pedestrian Severely Hurt and Then Cited after Being Hit on Redwood Highway
A pedestrian was severely injured and then cited after he was struck by a vehicle on Redwood Highway in south Grants Pass last weekend. The Grants Pass Police Department reports officers and emergency personnel were dispatched to the vehicle versus pedestrian collision on US Highway 199 near SW Henderson Lane on Sunday at 8:35 p.m.. Police said a male subject they identified only as "Thompson" was observed by several witnesses going in and out of the highway. They said a woman driving a Toyota 4-Runner was unable to avoid striking the man when he ran into her travel lane. Thompson was transported by ambulance to Three Rivers Medical Center for treatment of what doctors called "severe, but not life threatening injuries." Following the investigation, Thompson was cited for Improper Positioning of a Pedestrian on a Roadway. He was released to the care of hospital staff.
Posted on 9/12/23 6:13AM by Sam Marsh
Read more
 

Firefighters Rescued Pet Cat from Burning Recreational Vehicle in North Valley
Rural Metro Fire Department rescued a pet cat from a burning recreational vehicle in the North Valley area last night. On Monday at 7:09 p.m., Rural Metro was dispatched to a reported structure fire in the 6,000-block of Monument Drive. Crews arrived within a few minutes to find an RV around 50% involved in flames. The Oregon Department of Forestry and Grants Pass Fire & Rescue sent units to assist. The flames were quickly contained before they could spread to a nearby building or surrounding vegetation. Rural Metro officials said an investigation revealed the fire was possibly due to a malfunction in the overhead air conditioning unit. Firefighters entered the burning RV to rescue a cat named "Trouble" and he turned out to be no trouble at all. His owners returned home and found he was in good hands -- just a little wet and smoky with all nine lives still intact.
Posted on 9/12/23 6:11AM by Sam Marsh
Read more
 

Applications Open for One Seat on GP Historical Buildings Sites Commission
Applications are being accepted for a position on the Grants Pass Historical Buildings & Sites Commission (HBSC). This is a four-year appointment. The HBSC's purpose is to review proposed alterations to any historic district or designated structure in the Urban Growth Boundary, to promote the community's historic preservation, to advise other interested agencies on matters related to historic preservation, and to identify areas of archaeological significance and buildings of historical or archaeological significance. The open position is for a citizen-at-large. Applications are available at the City Administration Office at 101 NW A Street or online at "grantspassoregon.gov/committee-application." Applications must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, October 6th. Applicants will be interviewed by the Grants Pass City Council at its workshop on Monday, October 30th. The appointment will be made by the City Council at its regular meeting on Wednesday, November 1st.
Posted on 9/12/23 6:03AM by Sam Marsh
Read more
 

Smith River Complex Firefighting Focus Starting to Shift Away from the Illinois Valley
News Image
Crews battling the Smith River Complex have established a camp in Brookings-Harbor to minimize drive times and safety risks. Firefighters and equipment were moved into that area over the weekend. The Alaska Interagency Incident Management Team reported this morning that the Smith River Complex had grown to 86,748 acres and containment had increased to 21%. There was no growth over the weekend in southwest Oregon and total personnel assigned to the complex today was 1,773. While there is no forecasted threat from a Chetco wind event, managers understand community concerns and catastrophic consequences of past wildfires in the Curry County area. Work on a secondary control line along Forest Road 1106 has begun. Warm and dry conditions contributed to successful burning operations to reduce fuel on the north end of the fire bordering the Illinois Valley. Most of the fire activity there remains minimal as crews search for and extinguish pockets of heat. As a result of increased safety on the north end of the complex, the Josephine County Sheriff's Office on Monday reduced all evacuation notices in the Illinois Valley to Level 1 "Be Ready."
Posted on 9/12/23 5:59AM by Sam Marsh
Read more
 

RR-Siskiyou Forest Updates Emergency Area and Road Closure Due to the Anvil Fire
News Image
Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Acting Supervisor Jake Winn has signed an update to the Emergency Area and Road Closure for the Anvil Fire. Winn said the closure order runs through October 31st unless rescinded sooner. The area closure boundary is described as "the entirety of the Grassy Knob Wilderness." It now includes the addition of Forest Service Road 5325 -- also known as Elk River Road -- from the Forest boundary to the 5201 road. While the Flat Fire is holding at 34,242 acres and containment has increased to 75%, the Anvil Fire has grown to 587 acres with 0% containment. This morning, there were 281 personnel assigned to the Flat Fire and 310 assigned to the Anvil. On Sunday, helicopters dropped 149,450 gallons of water on the Anvil Fire. Wildland Fire Module (WFM) crew members are helping direct helicopter bucket drops while collecting weather and fuels information. They're also scouting for alternate lines on the north and south sides of the wilderness boundary. On the north, a location for a containment lines has been identified that will start slightly southeast of China Peak and extend northwest onto tribal and BLM land.
Posted on 9/12/23 5:57AM by Sam Marsh
Read more
 

Art Along the Rogue Festival Gets Financial Boost from Charitable Foundation Grant
News Image
Organizers for the Art Along the Rogue Festival in Grants Pass recently received a financial boost from a charitable organization in the northern Willamette Valley. The Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation based in Wilsonville awarded the City of Grants Pass a $4,700 grant in support of the 20th anniversary of the event. The grant funds will pay for a 3-D chalk artist to create a large interactive art piece and to help expand the children's art programming through a booth where kids can learn from the artist. Art Along the Rogue is set for a three-day run from Friday, October 6th, through Sunday, October 8th, in downtown Grants Pass. Professional and amateur chalk artists will turn the area around 5th and H streets into masterpieces. Since its beginnings in 2003, Art Along the Rogue has grown into one of the city's premier community events. It is one of the leading street chalk and music festivals in the state, attracting thousands of visitors to Grants Pass each fall. The theme for this year's 20th annual event is "Blockbusters on the Block" and it will include artwork featuring movie nostalgia.
Posted on 9/12/23 5:55AM by Sam Marsh
Read more
 

California Man Died after Being Hit by Truck on Highway 62 in Jackson County
News Image
A California man was killed this week when he was struck by a vehicle while crossing Highway 62 in Jackson County. The Oregon State Police reports troopers and emergency personnel responded to the vehicle versus pedestrian crash near milepost 7 of Highway 62 late Wednesday night. Troopers said the preliminary investigation indicated 48-year-old Joshua Branca of Manhattan Beach, California, entered the eastbound travel lane on foot and was hit by a Dodge Ram 1500 pickup driven by 63-year-old Ronald Miller of Eagle Point. According to OSP, Branca was pronounced deceased at the scene by medics while Miller was not injured. Highway 62 was impacted for approximately three hours during the on-scene investigation. The exact cause of the crash remains under investigation. OSP was assisted by the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, Eagle Point Police Department, Jackson County Fire District 3, Mercy Flights and the Oregon Department of Transportation.
Posted on 9/9/23 6:28AM by Sam Marsh
Read more
 

JMET Dismantled another Illegal Marijuana Growing Site in the Illinois Valley
News Image
The Josephine Marijuana Enforcement Team (JMET) raided another illegal cannabis growing operation in the Illinois Valley this week. With assistance from Josephine County Public Health & Building Safety, JMET served a search warrant in the 5,000-block of Rockydale Road on Thursday. During execution of the warrant, more than 2,400 marijuana starter plants were seized and destroyed. The site also had multiple electrical and water code violations that could result in criminal forfeiture of the property. According to JMET, the primary suspect was not at the location during the raid. If located, they will be charged with Unlawful Manufacture of Marijuana and Unlawful Appropriation of Water. Detectives said the investigation is ongoing and no further details about the case are being released at this time.
Posted on 9/9/23 6:27AM by Sam Marsh
Read more
 

OSP Arrested Motorist for Trying to Elude Troopers & Reckless Driving on I-5
The Oregon State Police arrested a motorist for attempting to elude troopers while driving recklessly on Interstate 5 in Jackson and Josephine counties this week. OSP reports state troopers received multiple complaints of a reckless driver on the freeway late Thursday afternoon. Prior to entering Josephine County, the suspect crashed into a vehicle in Jackson County and continued driving north. Troopers located the Dodge Ram pickup driven by 61-year-old Rex Alden Lane still driving recklessly in the northbound lanes of I-5 in north Grants Pass. They attempted to stop Lane, but he refused to yield and led a law enforcement pursuit all the way to Sunny Valley where he was pinned in by troopers at the off-ramp. According to OSP, the Josephine County Sheriff's Office assisted with the pursuit and custody of the driver. Rex Lane was lodged at the Josephine County Jail for Felony Attempt to Elude Police and Reckless Driving. A charge of Hit-and-Run Causing Property Damage was referred to the Jackson County District Attorney's Office for consideration.
Posted on 9/9/23 6:26AM by Sam Marsh
Read more